William e



(No Model.)

W. E. TRIGE. SOLE.

No.490,998; P atente-dJa.1 1.31,1 89 3.

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UNITE STATES PATE T OFFICE.

WILLIAM E.' TRIOE, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO THE SELF ADJUSTING SHOE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

SOLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 490,998, dated January 31, 1893.

Application filed February 12, 1892. Serial No. 421,326. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. TRIOE, of the city of St. Louis,in the State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Boots or Shoes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in boots or shoes whereby the upper is, permitted to adjust itself to con form to the shape of the foot; and to this end my invention consists of features of novelty hereinafter fully described and pointed out in the claims.

Figure I is a perspective view, illustrative of my invention. Fig. II is a similar view,

looking at the under or bottom side of the inner sole represented in Fig. I. Fig. III is a transverse section, taken on line IIIIII,

Fig. I. Fig. 1V is a perspective view illu s-' trating a modification.

Referring to the drawings:-1 represents the inner sole of a boot or shoe. 2 represents a portion or section of the outer sole. 3 represents the usual welt, and .4 a portion of the upper. These parts, (with the exception of the peculiarity of the inner sole, to which my invention relates,) areof the usual form, and are attached together in the usual I he inner sole is divided, or formed into two members, 5, 6, by a longitudinal slit 7 extending from a point at or near the toe, to a point at or near the instep of the shoe or boot, as shown in Fig. I. The slit is preferably-made by a scarf cut, as shown in Fig.

; III, so that the edges of the members 5 and 6 at the slit will overlap, as shown. One edge of the upper 4, on one side of the shoe, is secured to the member 5 of the inner sole, and the other edge of the upper is secured, on the other side of the shoe, to the member 6 of the inner sole. The result is that the inner sole is permitted to expand and conform to the shape of the foot, the inner sole opening at the slit at the points of greatest press ure of the foot against the upper, the result being that while the cost of the boot or shoe is not materially increased, it is made so as to conform or adjust itself to the shape of the foot.

8 represents an elastic portion, (rubber being preferred,) which is attached by its edges by suitable stitches, cement, or otherwise, to the under side of the inner sole, (see Figs. II and III.) The function and action of this rubber portion are to pull or draw the members 5 and 6 of the inner sole together, so that while the upper is permitted to adjust itself to the foot, there would be a constant pressure tending to bring the upper to its normal position, and cause the upper to conform more evenly to the shape of the foot, in that, where the upper is forced out at one point by the foot, it will be drawn in at other points by the elastic portion, for the reason that one edge of the elastic portion is attached to the member 5, andthe other edge to the member 6 of the inner sole. By practical experience and demonstration this shoe has been found to be very desirable.

In Fig. IV I have shown the elastic portion 8 omitted.

I am aware that it has been proposed to form diamond'shaped openings, or incisions in the inner sole of a boot or shoe, and then cementing the portion having the incisions to other inelastic portions or members, as shown in the patent of Blu'm, No; 439,37 7 dated October 28, 1890; but in such construction there is no provision for the opening out and closing up of the inner sole, to permit the upper to adjust itself to the shape of the foot.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination, in a boot or shoe, of an inner sole, divided longitudinally by a slit extending from the toe of the boot or shoe to the instep of the same, and an upper secured at one edge to one member of the divided inner sole, and at the other edge to the other member of the divided inner sole; substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, in a boot or shoe, of an inner sole divided longitudinally by a slit extending substantially from the toe of the boot or shoe substantially to the instep of the member of the divided inner sole; su bstan same, and an elastic portion secured by one tially as, and for the purpose set forth. edge to one memberof the divided innersole and by the other edge to the other member of WILLIAM E. TRILCE. 5 the divided inner sole, and an upper secured In presence of by one edge to one member of the divided E. S. KNIGHT,

inner sole, and by the other edge to the other BENJN. A. KNIGHT. 

